Bill to restructure Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District passes in the Florida House

Feb 09, 2023 in "The Walt Disney Company"

Posted: Thursday February 9, 2023 3:33pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The bill to drastically change Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District moved a step closer to reality today as the Florida House voted 82-31 in favor of the bill.

Reedy Creek oversees water and sewer systems, utilities, roads, parking, a fire department and other infrastructure throughout Walt Disney World

As expected, the bill was passed along party-lines, and moves to replace the governing body's board with five members appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

In addition, the Reedy Creek Improvement District would be renamed "Central Florida Tourism Oversight District."

The next step for the bill is a vote before the Florida Senate on Friday, February 10, where it is expected to pass.

The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in 1967 allowed Disney the luxury of establishing its own independent government that handles many aspects of the Walt Disney World property, including emergency services, infrastructure, and construction permitting.

Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle commented last week on the move, saying "We are monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year."

The action by DeSantis comes in retaliation to Disney's public opposition to the parental rights law, which took place under the ex-CEO Bob Chapek.

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek and Ron DeSantis clashed over Disney's opposition to the new law

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

UNCgolf6 days ago

I'm sure a few do, but it's very uncommon. As an attorney, I don't know anyone that works at a non-PI firm that does public advertising like bus, TV, or billboard ads. I think business journals are a bit different and you're probably more likely to see something there if they handle something specific to that field, but I still think that's relatively rare.

Smiley/OCD6 days ago

I wonder if he’s related to Thurl…

Mr. Sullivan6 days ago

I don't live in Florida, but I have heard of Sunrise Bank. They're a pretty large name to be a regional institution (though that could be in part because they used to have naming rights for a popular arena in Florida that a lot of my favorite artists played at on tour haha)

Comped6 days ago

I've seen other lawyers advertise in both those fields, including in relevant business journals around here... This guy, nope.

MisterPenguin6 days ago

Based on the name, I'm assuming he's a vampire living in the basement of the Haunted Mansion.

UNCgolf6 days ago

Generally personal injury attorneys/firms are the only ones that actually advertise. Sounds like they handle real estate transactions and wills/trusts/estates, so not surprised you've never heard of them or seen ads.

Comped6 days ago

I've never heard of Sunrise Bank (or any of those banks), or Woods & Woods. And I see a ton of banking commercial and lawyer commercials on local tv, radio, even the side of the bloody Lynx buses.

DCBaker6 days ago

Ron DeSantis has appointed 2 new members to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Directors: Matt Ravenscroft Ravenscroft is the Executive Vice President and Director of Sunrise Bank in Orlando. Previously, he served as a Senior Vice President of Old Florida Bank, United Heritage Bank, and Citrus Bank. Ravenscroft earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida. David Woods Woods is an Attorney at Woods & Woods, P.A. His practice areas include real estate, wills, trusts, and estates. Woods earned his bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from Florida State University and his juris doctor from St. Thomas University. https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2026/governor-ron-desantis-appoints-two-central-florida-tourism-oversight-district

josiah mazelinJun 28, 2025

I said basically. You just listed two rides at each park. My point is proven

GoofyernmostJun 27, 2025

With the kind of promotion that they once were famous for were to be used, they can get all the hype they need and spend a hell of a lot less to do it. They have to make what they have be exciting and not worry about what others might be doing. They stayed on top for about 60 years doing that and then, I assume to give bigger bonuses to the executives, they stopped producing those things and even if they don't admit it, they are running scared at the moment, in spite of increased profits. They have to make that dominance last, but I don't see them doing that unless they fill up those empty buildings and put something good in them and promote, promote, promote. That is second only to location, location, location.

SirwalterraleighJun 27, 2025

Galactic spirit Halloween was sorta in that ballpark

SirwalterraleighJun 27, 2025

Nah…they’ve crossed the Rubicon on “attracting middle class families”. They’re well past that price point to make any such endeavor turn out to be anything but a “loss” to the stock wonks. That strategy was their philosophy for many years…expansion to create more traffic and sell more product across all business was Eisner 101 - essentially, but they dumped that 15-20 year ago. Limiting investment and all but eliminating expansion to cap overhead and then attempting to make more revenue/profit off what was already paid for. That strategy is incompatible with “expanding/pricing to make it more accessible”